site.btaAugust Unemployment Going Downhill, Employment Agency Says

Sofia, September 16 (BTA) - Registered unemployment in August stood at 6.65 per cent, The Employment Agency said. This is down 0.08 percentage points compared to July and, even more considerably, 1.3 percentage point year on year.

The number of unemployed registered over the month stood at 218,436, which is 2,448 fewer (down 1.1 per cent) compared to the previous month. Compared to August 2016, the number has dropped by 43,089 (16.5 per cent).

Newly-registered unemployed totaled 24,211.

A total of 670 employed people, students and pensioners have registered as seeking employment at the job centres, rounding their number from the beginning of the year to 2,327.

In August, 18,054 unemployed found a job, including 15,119 (83.7 per cent) on the primary market and 2,935 in subsidized jobs.

There were 18,856 job vacancies at the job centres in August, including 60.7 per cent in the private sector. The figure was considerably higher than the previous month (by 20.1 per cent) and negligibly smaller (by 0.4 per cent) year-on-year.

The largest number of job vacancies on the primary market were registered in the mining and processing industry (4,926 workers wanted); education (3,038 vacancies); trade (2,320 vacancies); administrative and additional activities (2,308); state government (1,290); hotelier and restaurateur business (1,008); construction (986); transport, storage and posts (573); agriculture, forestry and fisheries (489); and real estate operations (485).

The occupations in highest demand on the primary labour market included teachers; workers in mining and quarrying; machine operators; qualified staff in the production of food, clothing, woodwork and such; staff engaged in personal services (bar tenders, waiters, chambermaids, etc.); unqualified waste disposal staff; and shop assistants.